Highlights from Friday’s St. Louis Cardinals minor league spring training games from Jupiter, Florida.

On Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers faced off against each other as the top two minor league clubs, Memphis and Springfield met, as did Palm Beach and Quad Cities 1. Quad Cities 2 squad faced a traveling team, the Long Island Storm.

The Storm field travel teams of various age groups from the Long Island and New York City area. They compete in various invitational leagues and tournaments nationwide. Former Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year Reid Gorecki, now in the New York Yankees system, and his brother Ryan are among the Storm’s instructional staff.

Cardinals director of minor league operations John Vuch continues to share game highlights with this site and several others with interest in Cardinals prospects. As always, the raw data is his, but the comments mine.

Team summary: Palm Beach won while Quad Cities 1 and 2 both lost. Memphis and Springfield tied.

Team records: (1-2-2) on the day, (6-6-2) for the spring.

My Co-Pitchers of the Day: Memphis’ Gary Daley (pictured) and Springfield’s Shaun Garceau, two players with a lot to prove in 2010. If they can maintain control, look out!

My Hitter of the Day: Springfield’s Tommy Pham repeats from Thursday. On fire early in camp.

Saturday’s schedule: The Mets are the common opponent, with games in two locations. Memphis and Springfield entertain their New York counterparts in Jupiter, while Palm Beach and Quad Cities make the short bus ride to Port St. Lucie. (That is a short ride, not a short bus!)

Brendan Ryan – 1-for-5 with a run scored – First official game action of the spring. Will be chomping at the bit to see action for St. Louis.
Shane Robinson – 1-for-3 – Went 4-for-11 with two doubles in major league camp earlier this spring.
Mark Hamilton – 1-for-2 with a run scored
Kevin Howard – 1-for-2 with a run scored and RBI – Newcomer infielder continues to stand out in the daily highlights.
Jose Martinez – game-tying 2-run double – Could be a force if healthy, but has Descalso ahead of him at 2B in Memphis.

Springfield Pitching

Shaun Garceau – two perfect innings, two strikeouts – Has all the talent. If focused on the game, could be the comeback player of the year.
Mark Diapoules – two innings, one hit
Jose Rada – one IP, 3 hits, 4 runs, 2 ER

Springfield Hitting

Tommy Pham – 2-for-3 with a double, run scored and RBI – On base eight times in three days. If I remember correctly, Pham was a fast starter in previous springs, too.
Charles Cutler – 1-for-2 with a triple, run scored and RBI – Could put pressure on projected returning Springfield catchers Tony Cruz and Steven Hill.
Francisco Rivera – 1-for-2 with an RBI
Andrew Brown – singled and walked in two plate appearances – Getting a tryout at third base. If he sticks, he can move up quickly.
Aaron Luna – RBI double and scored – Second base experiment is apparently over.

Alex Castellanos – solo HR – Now listed as an outfielder.
Devin Goodwin and Luis DeLaCruz – singled and walked in two plate appearances
Jared Bogany and Ryde Rodriguez – RBI singles
Rich Racobaldo – singled and scored – Our 2009 Johnson City Player of the Year had a 1.061 OPS there, but struggled after leaping over Batavia to Quad Cities.

Luis Mateo – doubled
Niko Vasquez, Devin Shepherd and Kevin Moscatel (RBI) – all 1-for-2
Edwin Gomez 1-for-2 with a run scored – Coming back after appearing in just six games between the Gulf Coast League Cardinals and Batavia in 2009 after suffering a broken hamate bone in his left hand.

Quad Cities #2 (1-1) lost to the Long Island Storm, 7-1

QC2 Pitching

The last four pitchers were taken in the June 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Rounds noted below.